disease of the brain?

[magic]

disease of the brain?

Dear Beatle,

You know I love you, but doing it yourself is NOT the way to freedom!

m. xxx :l

[paula]

disease of the brain?

Thanks for your comments, Wonder and Magic. I truly believe there are various support
groups, and while we can prefer one we should not shun all others. I have known people
screw up in AA, and not be persecuted for it. Once again open mindedness.
Beatle I do agree with Magic, on this one.
Love Paula.x

[paula]

disease of the brain?

MWO, has been my life saver, anyone with a different view, best of luck.
Be well.

[magic]

disease of the brain?

A bit of this, a bit of that and I'm running.....for my life.

I hug those I meet a long the way.

I don't know why I am the way I am.
I don't know if it's genetic, a disease, the moon, or because I was born on a Friday.

There are too many theories and I am not wise enough to pick one.

I just know what worked for me.

I sincerely hope that everyone struggling finds what works for them.

Give it time.

m. xx

[Cashregister]

disease of the brain?

Hiya,

I am adopted and my adopted mum is an alcholic. I have my "birth parent's" medical histories - luckily they agreed to send regular updates through thier docs to my doc - asked when I was preggers. I didin't want contact and neither did they - must be alike in certain ways!

Anyway, I have picked up alot of habits from my Mum. She was my main carer, and I often behave as she did when drunk and I don't even have to have a drink to lash out like she did.

So I think both sides of the argument have some merit. But for me growing up with an alcholic and being exposed to that environment certainly didn't help my issues as I got older. So genetic or environmental - I reckon it can go either way.

Cheers

Cash

[beatle]

disease of the brain?

No, not so weird. Just look into it and you will find the answers. It is a combination of nature and nuture. Very simple, actually. Nature has the upper hand, though.

[lushy]

disease of the brain?

Brilliant post Kate.

[Cashregister]

disease of the brain?

If nature has the upper hand - where on earth do I fit in????
It was my environment that caused my drinking habits for sure - I'm like a carbon copy of my Mum when I drink now - and i'm not "naturally" related to her!!!

Oh and my adpoted father's a diabetic but I don't spose I will get that - but if I do you can bet i'll have the same REATION to it as he did.

The nurture side of things really has taken a beating these days, yet everyone goes on about the importance to the babies brain in the first 5 years of life - that's nurture. That's environment, that's parenting!!!!

Oh by the way - I do not consider being pregnant as parenting - being preggers was the easy part. It's afterwards the work starts.

Cheers

Cash

Cashy

[beatle]

disease of the brain?

I didn't mean to sound simplistic when I said simple. I just meant that it is NOT a nature VERSUS nurture question, it is quite simply a combination.

Of course the combination itself is as complex as anything can get, but I'm just sick of hearing people argue back and forth about whether it is genetic or environmental when it quite simply is BOTH.

And in my humble opinion, nature does have the upper hand, but that does not mean it is the only factor, and, it does not mean it is always the most influential at all, as in the case like Cashy, and plenty more, when nurture was the key factor.

But addiction is indeed complex, and there is more than environment driving your brain when you poison yourself repeatedly despite being aware of the results. Once you are addicted, it is scientifically proven that there are chemical changes in your brain that compel you to take the substance you are addicted to, be it alcohol or drugs.

In my case, I believe the proclivity to addiction is hereditary, however, it did not become a problem until I was faced with life issues that became the reason (excuse) for my alcohol problem to develop out of control. So, nature AND environment together.

Hope that clears up my "simple" views.

[beatle]

disease of the brain?

Obviously you are not dumb, or I wouldn't even be anwering this. (I think, though, that dumb people do also deserve attention... but, eh, not here, thanks =).

So, as I understand it, we are in complete agreement?

So now we have to fiind something else to disagree about... I'm open to any suggestions... how do you feel about the climate problems? Um, puppet shows? Carbonated drinks?

[beatle]

disease of the brain?

Puppet shows: thumbs down.
Carbonated drinks: double thumbs down
The climate: Not our problem


OK?

[beatle]

disease of the brain?

sure. bigamy ok with you?

[cowgal]

disease of the brain?

mine too

Oh, mine(husband) already does! (think I am a lunatic):H you guys are awesome, thanks again for all this support and help!!

Love

MA:h

[lucky 2.0]

disease of the brain?

ok, i am stupid. i do not believe in the disease model @ all and i think it is harmful.

i promise to stay away from this thread from this point forward.

btw- still love ya though-

[Cashregister]

disease of the brain?

Oh well hell, I am not an addict anyway - I was just self medicating. Just went to an assessment centre for depedency week before last - Pdoc wanted to make absolutely sure was not addicted/dependant on alcohol in any way - and the Dr there, after i ansered a few (a bloody lot!) questions and had the old tummy poked a bit - laughed at me and said go home!

So maybe i'm not addicted cause i'm not genetically predisposed, but I reckon it doesn't matter a poop and the thing is to work with what you've got. Sometimes I think it's just about dealing with whatever hand you are dealth - bipolar (still have not found any "blood relatives" with that either but is sposed to be really really genetic) is hard to deal with, alcohol on top of it is a cracker - the thing is to find a recovery framework that works for you, stop worrying about where it came from, and get on with it!

Cashy
xx